As the tourist season approaches, Sri Lankan authorities are stepping up efforts to strengthen infrastructure and streamline travel procedures for visitors.
A special task force appointed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake convened for the second time on October 14 at the Presidential Secretariat to review progress on a series of measures aimed at boosting the country’s tourism sector.
“The government has launched several initiatives aimed at improving facilities and services for tourists ahead of the upcoming tourist season,” the Presidential Media Division (PMD) said in a statement.
Simplifying visa and ETA procedures for travel to Sri Lanka
One of the main topics discussed was the “facilitation of visa issuance” and the “streamlining of the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) process”, which became mandatory for all foreign visitors prior to departure as of yesterday.
The government aims to make these procedures faster and more user-friendly through better coordination among the relevant departments.
Discussions also focused on reducing airport queues, a recurring issue during peak travel periods. The task force proposed increasing the number of airport counters to improve passenger flow upon arrival.
At the same time, the government plans to modernize online ticketing systems for the country’s major tourist attractions. The goal is to simplify transactions, ease on-site congestion, and allow travelers to plan their visits more efficiently.
According to data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), the country welcomed 1,788,235 international visitors since the beginning of 2025. India remains by far the leading source market with 393,591 visitors, followed by the United Kingdom (166,767) and Russia (125,035). Germany (110,792) and China (107,007) round out the top five. Next are France (89,825), Australia (80,334), the Netherlands (53,645), the United States (49,732), and Bangladesh (48,053), a reflection of the diverse global profile of Sri Lanka’s tourism base.
The ETA process is easy but I’m staying in Sri Lanka for one month (31 days). The only option one has in seeking an ETA is 30 days. One then has to visit the Department of Immigration in Sri Lanka or apply for another ETA for an extra day’s stay.
I feel that more options should be available at the outset, perhaps with an extra, pro rata fee.
Trevor
Hi Trevor, maybe this will help:
Penalties for overstay
According to the Gazette 2337/10 of June 21, 2023 foreigners overstay penalty (charges) are amended as append below with effect from June 21, 2023.
Where the period of the overstay has exceeded seven days (07) and has continued up to fourteen days (14) days calculated from the date of expiry of the period of validity of the original visa, two hundred and fifty (250) United States Dollars will be charged as a penalty in addition to the applicable visa fee.
Where the period of the overstay has exceeded fourteen (14) days calculated from the date of expiry of the period of validity of the original visa, five hundred (500) United States Dollars will be charged as a penalty in addition to the applicable visa fee; and
A person, who departs from Sri Lanka within seven (07) days calculated from the date of expiry of the period of validity of the original visa, may depart from Sri Lanka by paying the applicable visa fee at the port of departure without paying any penalty.
* The visa payments are calculated from the arrival date of the passenger.
https://www.immigration.gov.lk/pages_e.php?id=45